Draft rigging



B. w KADEL -DRAFT RIGGING Feb. 22, 1938.

Fiied March a, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 22, 1938. B, w. KADEL DRAFTRIGGING Filed March's, 1931 fig 2 4 2 Shets-Shget' 2 dbtowa:

Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE Symington-GouldCorporation,

Rochester,

N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application March 3, 1931, Serial No.519,840

16 Claims.

enclosed in a housing, shell or column member and operated in serieswhen the associated drawbar is subjected to buffing forces, with only aportion of said devices operative when the drawbar is subjected to draftforces.

Another object of my invention is the provision of draft riggingassociated with the center or draft sills of a railway vehicle andinvolving cushioning means preferably housed in a shell or collar memberformed with upper and lower trunnions, lugs or key means projecting fromthe upper and. lower surfaces of said shell and connected to the coupleror drawbar of the vehicle by yoke-acting means involving upper and lowerarms or links connected to the associated drawbar by means of a verticalmember or key which allows for relative angling of said drawbar orcoupler, the sills being provided with stop means so that a portion ofthe mechanism is energized when the drawbar is subjected to draftforces, while all is energized when the coupler is subjected to buflingforces.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a plurality ofcushioning devices connected to an associated drawbar or yoke-actingmeans in such a manner that the front or outer device only is energizedwhen the drawbar is subjected to draft forces while all of said devicesare energized when the drawbar is subjected to buffing forces.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particulararrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparentas the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention the scope whereof isdefined by the appended claims:-

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view between the sills ofa railway vehicle underframe illustrating one embodiment of mydoubleended series draft gear and associated rigging and lugs, said gearbeing illustrated in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the rigging andassociated parts shown in Figure 1, portions of the draft gear and partsbeing shown in plan.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View on the line 33 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. 5

Figure 4 is a View corresponding to Figure l, but showing amodification.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the yoke-acting means shown inFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Figure 1, but showinganother modification.

Referring to the drawings indetail, like parts being designated by likereference 1 characters, and first considering the embodiment of myinvention illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, there are shown portionsof an underframe adapted for use with railway vehicles and comprisingcenter or draft sills I connected by a back-stop or combined backstopand center filler casting 2 and a striking casting or combined strikingcasting and sill tie member 3. In the present embodiment, the casting 3is shown provided with an opening 4 receiving the drawbar or couplerstem 5 with the sill tie portion 6 of said member provided with a wearplate 1 adapted to directly sup- 25 port said drawbar.

Mounted between the sills I is a cushioning device 8 preferably in theform of a double-ended friction draft gear involving a housing or columnmember 9 open at both ends and formed with upper and lower preferablyintegral trunnion or lug portions I0 and I I serving for connection withupper and lower links or arms I2 and I3 with the rear ends swiveled onsaid trunnio-ns and the front ends slotted, as indicated at I l and I5,"to receive the upright or vertical member or key I6, which normallyextends through a registering slot I! in the drawbar or coupler stem forconnecting said links I2 and I3 with said drawbar for the transmissionof draft forces therebetween, thereby adapting said links to serve asyoke-acting means.

The drawbar 5 in the present embodiment is shown of the radial type,although I do not wish to be limited thereto. In said embodiment the/rear end of the drawbar 5 is pocketed, as indicated at I8, and receivesa tongue I9 extending from a radial shim 29 and slotted, as indicated at2I, to receive the key I6, the front face of the shim 20 being desirablycylindrically or spherical-" 1y concave and engaging acorrespondinglyformed surface on the coupler to permit anglingtherebetween when subjected to buffing forces Without any gouging actionbetween the rear face of the shim 20 and the front face of theassociated front' 55 follower 22. Radial movement of the drawbar withrespect to the vehicle and yoke-acting means is desirably permitted byflaring the side Walls of the slot II forwardly, as shown most clearlyin Figure 2, to provide the necessary clearance for angling with respectto the key I6. The lower surface 23 of the front end of the link I2 andthe upper surface 24 of the lower link I3 are desirably sloped or flaredrearwardly to permit a certain amount of vertical angling between thedrawbar and links without spreading of said links.

In order to provide for the support of the key I6, a carry iron 25extends between the sills I and not only serves for supporting the linkI3 and, through it, the associated cushioning mechanism 8 and link I2,but is also provided with a depending apertured portion 26 receiving therear end of a supporting pin 21 on which the lower end of the key I6 isadapted to slide upon movement thereof with the drawbar 5. The front endof the supporting pin 21 is desirably received in a pocket 28 formed ina rearward extension from the sill tie or coupler carrier portion 6 ofthe striking casting 3, so that said pin 21 bridges the space betweenthe carrier. portion 6 and the carry iron 25'. Undesired removal of thepin 21 maybe prevented bya cotter orpther locking means 29, the rear endof said pin '21 also desirably normally engaging a shouldered portion 30on the carrier 25, so that even without the locking means 29 the pin 21will tend to stay in position. The lower end of the key I6 is desirablynotched to fit over the pin 21, as shown most clearly in Figure 3. Itwill thus be seen that the vertical connecting key I6is slidably mountedon a longitudinally extending normally horizontal pin 21, the ends ofwhich are, in turn, supported on a plurality of spaced carriers anddesirably locked in place against movement.

The rearward portion of the housing 9 is desirably supported on acarrier 3|, said carrier being desirably formed with a 'rearwardlyextending shelf 32 disposed below the level of the main supportingportion to provide a notch 33, said shelf 32 serving to support the rearfollower 34, which is disposed loosely between the cushioning mechanism8 and backstop 2, in the sense that it is not secured to either, and theshoulder 33 serving to prevent forward movement of said follower whenthe cushioning mechanism is pulled away under the action of draftforces. The upper portion of said follower 34 is stopped in a similarmanner as by means of lugs'or plates 35 connected to the sills in anydesired manner, as by means of rivets 36.

The'housing 9 of the cushioning device 8 may enclose spring and frictionelements of various forms, the elements of the present embodimentinvolving friction wedges 31 formed with inclined friction surfaces 38engaging corresponding surfaces 39 on the side walls of the housing 9,said inclined surfaces being desirably supplemented by inwardly disposedfriction surfaces 40 on the wedges engaging corresponding surfaces M onthe housing, said surfaces being separated from the main frictionsurfaces by shouldered portions 42 on the wedgesand 43 on the housingwhich serve to interlock the wedges with respect to the housing and toprevent undesired removal. Each pair of wedges at each end of thehousing are desirably urged apart and into engagement with the frictionsurfaceson the housing by curved plate springs 44.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that under the action of draftforces, the front follower 22 is held stationary against the front stoplugs 45 which, in the embodiment shown, are formed as integralextensions on the combined striking casting and sill tie member 3, andthe coupler stem or drawbar 5 pulls the yoke-acting means I2 and I3forwardly through the connecting key I6 which, in turn, pull the housing9 through the trunnions I0 and II, causing the housing to push forwardlyover the front friction elements 3|, and thereby force them togetheragainst the resistance of the springs 44, actuating only the frontcushioning mechanism, whereby the cushioning effect on draft is onlyone-half the total capacity of the double-ended gear illustrated, andthe travel of the drawbar on draft with respect to the sills is onlyone-half the total permissible compression of the gear. Under the actionof draft forces, the rear follower 34 is left behind, as held betweenthe stop portions 33 and 35 against the backstop 2, whereby displacementor disarrangement of the follower with respect to the cushioningmechanism is obviated.

Under the action of buffing forces, the drawbar 5 engages the frontfollower 22, pushing the front friction elements 31 into the frontopening of the housing 9 and simultaneously moving said housingrearwardly over the rear friction elements 3, so that a full compressionof the gear on buff may be effected. Compression of the front frictionmechanism on buff is effected by the rearward elongation of the slots I4and I5 in the links I2 and I3 permitting rearward movement of theconnecting key I6. In this way, increased relative capacity and drawbartravel equal to the aggregate capacity and travel of the front and rearcushioning devices is provided for the absorption of bufling forces.Although, for convenience and economy in manufacture, the gear ispreferably made symmetrical so that the travel and capacity provided byeach end is equal, yet this is not essential, and the capacity andtravels of the two ends of the gear may be either equal or diiferent, asdesired.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 4and 5, a construction is there disclosed involving sills I a betweenwhich is mounted a double-ended cushioning device 8 comprising a housing9. The cushioning device 8 of the present embodiment may correspond withthat of the first embodiment, except that instead of having integraltrunnions for connection with the yoke-acting means I2 the housing isformed with registering slots 46 and 47 through the upper and lowerwalls receiving a vertical connecting member or key 48 which passesthrough registering slots 49 and 5,0 in the rear portions of theyoke-acting means I 2'. The ends of the housing 9 and the associatedfriction elements 3! and actuating springs may; correspond with thefirst'ernbodiment.

The yoke-acting means I2 5 in the present embodiment, preferably takesthe form of a pair of arms 5I and 52 connected at their front ends byside walls 53, as shown most clearly in Figure 5, thereby providing a'hooded'portion receiving the drawbar 5 which may be identical with thatof the first embodiment. As in the previous embodiment, a vertical keyI6 desirably serves to connect the drawbar 5 with the yoke-acting meansI2 and said keymay be supported, as in the previous embodiment, but inthe present embodiment is shown supported directly from the yoke actingmeans, as by having a supporting pin 21.. the ends of which are receivedin a pocket 28 adjacent the front end of the yokeacting means and in anaperture 26 in an extension from the lower arm 52 of said yoke-actingmeans, said pin 26*, as in the previous embodiment, being desirablydisposed with its rear end against a shouldered portion 30*, cotter orother locking means 29 being desirably provided for preventing loss orundesired removal.

As in the previous embodiment, the rear portion of the housing 9 issupported on a carrier 3W formed with shelf and shouldered portions 32and 33 respectively, for engaging the rear follower 3%, upper stop means35 being desirably provided for said follower, as in the previousembodiment, whereby it is held immovable against the front end of thebackstop Z at all times;

The action of the arrangement of. Figures 4 and 5 under the action ofdraft and buffing forces may be identical with that of Figures: 1, 2,and 3. A slight modification, however, is illustrated which permitsvertical angling between the butt or rear face of the shim 20 and thefront face of the associated follower 22 without gouging of saidfollower. In other words, as indicated at 5 5, the front face of thefollower 22 may be spherically or cylindrically concavely curved, andthe rear face of the shim 20 correspondingly curved to provide thedesired angling therebetween without gouging.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 6,a construction is there disclosed which isidentical, with one of theprevious embodiments except that between the rear follower 34 for thecushioning mechanism 8 is an auxiliary cushioning device or draft gearinvolving a housing 56,-the rear face of which abuts a backstop and/orcenter filler casting 2* provided With a forwardly extending ledge 5'!supporting the rear end of the housing 56, the front end of said housingand the follower 34 being desirably supported on a carry iron or carrier58 separate from the carrier 30, the stop means for said follower 34being provided by the rear face or edge 33 of the carrier 3l I'heconstruction of the spring and friction cushioning elements in thehousing 56 may be of any desired character and, in the embodiment shown,correspond with those of the main cushioning device 8* which, inturn,corresponds with cushioning devices of the previous embodiments. Inother words, the upper and lower walls of the housing 56 are desirablyprovided with inclined friction surfaces engaged by correspondingsurfaces on friction wedges 59 pressed apart by curved plate springs 60and interlocked with respect to the housing 55 in a manner correspondingwith the interlock of the wedge blocks of the main gear. Except asspecifically described in connection with the present embodiment, thesame may correspond With that of one of the previous embodiments.Theaction of the mechanism of the present embodiment on draftcorresponds with that of one of the previous embodiments, and the actionon buff is the same as that of one of. the previous embodiments, exceptthat the cushioning effect and drawbar movement is increased by thecapacity and compressive movement of the auxiliary cushioning device 55.It will be understood, of course, that the normal clearance between thehorn 5| of the coupler or drawbar 5 and the casting 3 should beincreased, as by providing a coupler with a 3 longer stem, to correspondwith the increased travel provided by the auxiliary gear 55.

' From the foregoing description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have devised a form ofdraft rigging and associated cushioning devices arranged in series toprovide for a greater travel of the drawbar and greater energy absorbingcapacity for buffing forces than for draft forces.

Although I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that modifications may be made withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke-actingmeans having vertically alined openings, a member extending through saidopenings and drawbar for communicating draft forces from the latter tosaid yoke-acting means, a carrier extending under and engaging saidyoke-acting means, a second carrier spaced from that first mentioned forsupporting said drawbar, and means supported by both of said carriers,bridging the space therebetween and extending under said verticallyextending member for supporting the latter with capability of sliding inresponse to draft and bufiing movements of the drawbar.

2. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke-actingmeans comprising upper and lower portions with vertically alinedopenings, a member extending through said openings and a registeringopening in said drawbar for communicating draft forces from the latterto said yoke-acting means, a plurality of spaced carriers disposed belowsaid associated members for supporting said yoke-acting means anddrawbar, and means extending between said carriers and supported therebyfor supporting said member.

3. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, andvertically spaced links disposed above and below said drawbar, meansconnecting said drawbar and links, a cushioning device comprising ahousing resting on said lower link, cushioning means cooperating withsaid housing at each end, stop means for preventing forward movement ofthe front cushioning means while permitting rearward movement thereof,and stop means preventing rearward movement of the rear cushioningmeans, said housing being provided with trunnions extending from theupper and lower surfaces thereof, the rear ends of said links beingpivotally mounted on said trunnions for actuating only the frontcushioning means on draft, the means connecting said links and drawbarbeing relatively movable with respect to said links whereby said drawbaractuates both front and rear cushioning means on buff.

4. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar and verticalyoke-acting means, means connecting said drawbar and yoke-acting means,a cushioning device, means connecting said cushioning device andyoke-acting means, a follower normally engaging the rear end of saidcushioning device, an auxiliary cushioning device disposed rearwardly ofsaid follower, a backstop connecting said sills, normally engaging theauxiliary cushioning device and supporting the rear end thereof, andmeans performing the double function of supporting the rear end of saidfirstmentioned cushioning device and preventing forward movement of saidfollower.

5. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar having acurved rear face and a rearwardly opening pocket, vertically spacedlinks disposed above and below said drawbar, a cushioning devicedisposed between said links rearwardly of said drawbar and'comprising ahousing, cushioning means cooperating with said housing at each end,stop means for preventing forward movement of the front cushioning meanson draft, and stop means for preventing rearward movement of the rearcushioning means on buff, said housing being provided with trunnionsextending from the upper and lower surfaces thereof, the rear ends ofsaid links being pivotally connected to said trunnions for pulling thehousing forwardly on draft and actuating only the front cushioningmeans, said trunnion connection permitting angling of said links, andmeans for permitting angling of said drawbar, said means comprising ashim with a flat rear face engaging said cushioning device, a curvedfront face engaged by the curved rear face on said drawbar, and a tongueextending forwardly and received in said rearwardly opening pocket, andupright means extending through the forward portions of said links, therear portion of said drawbar and said tongue for simultaneouslyconnecting said parts while permitting relative angling thereof.

6. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke actingmeans comprising elements with vertically aligned openings at front andrear ends, a cushioning device disposed between the rear portions ofsaid elements, and

means extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom and received in therearward aligned openings of said elements for connecting the parts,connecting means extending through said forward aligned openings andsaid drawbar for the transmission of draft forces from said drawbar tosaid yoke-actingmeans, a carrier extending under and engaging saidyoke-acting means, a second carrier spaced from that first mentioned forsupporting said 'drawbar, and means supported by both of said carriers,bridging the space therebetween, and extending under said connectingmeans for the support thereof,

'7. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke-actingmeans with vertically aligned openings at front and rear ends, acushioning device disposed between the rear portions of said means, andmeans extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom and received in therearward aligned openings of said yoke-acting means for connecting theparts, connecting means extending through said forward aligned openingsand said drawbar for the transmission of draft forces from said drawbarto saidyokeacting means, longitudinally extending supporting meansdisposed under said connecting means for the support thereof, andlongitudinally spaced carriers holding the ends of said supportingmeans.

8. A friction draft gear comprising a column member, a set of frictionelements cooperating with said member at each end, and integraltrunnions extending from opposite walls of said column member betweenthe friction elements at the ends thereof for an equalizing connectionwith yoke-acting means, whereby said draft gear,

when used with front and rear stops and connected to a drawbar throughsuch yoke acting means, may be fully compressed by bufling forces andthe column memberpulled forwardly to operate only the friction elementsat the front end thereof on draft.

9. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a coupler, ayoke-device having a plurality of pairs of vertically aligned openings,pivot means extending through said coupler and one pair of said openingsfor operatively connecting said coupler to said yoke device for thetransmission of draft forces, a column member positioned to the rear ofsaid coupler, force-transmitting means projecting above and below theupper and lower surfaces of said column member and extending throughanother pair of aligned openings, the openings of one of said pairsbeing elongated so that the coupler may move rearwardly with respect tosaid column member. I

10. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a coupler, a yokedevice comprising a plurality of vertically spaced arms connectedadjacent their forward ends by-substantially parallel webs and receivingthe rear end of said coupler between said'webs and the connectedportions of said arms, pivot means extending through vertically alignedapertures in said arms and lying approximately midway between said websfor connecting said coupler and yoke device, a column member positionedto the rear of said coupler and disposed between the rearward portionsof said vertically spaced arms, force-transmitting means projectingabove and below the upper and lower surfaces respectively of said columnmember, said arms having slots adjacent the rear ends thereof to receivesaid force-transmitting means.

11. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a coupler, a yokedevice comprising a plu-, rality of vertically spaced arms connectedadjacent their forward ends, said coupler having its rear end partiallyhoused in the forward portion of said yoke 'device, pivot meansextending through said coupler, and openings in the forward portion ofsaid yoke device for connecting said coupler and device, a column memberpositioned to the rear. of said coupler and disposed between rearwardportions of said arms, a connecting key intersecting and projectingabove and below said column member, said arms having a pair ofvertically aligned openings receiving the end portions of saidkey, someof the openings in the yoke device, receiving the connecting means,being elongated so that the coupler'may move rearwardly with respect tosaid column member, said key having lateral projections adjacent itsupper end supported on the upper arm, and means intersecting the lowerend portion of said'key for preventing undesired upward movement.

12. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, abackstop connecting intermediate portions, and a combined strikingcasting and coupler carrier member connecting end portions of saidsills, a coupler received in said I combined casting and with its stemdisposed between said sills, draft lugs mounted on said sills onopposite sides of saidstem, a yoke device having a pair of verticallyspaced arms, said arms having forward and rearward pairs of verticallyaligned openings, pivot means extending through said shank and theforward pair of openings,

normally registering with an aperture through a said column memberbetween said friction ele ments, and a key extending through saidaligned arm apertures and column aperture for connecting said yokedevice and column, one of the pairs of arm apertures being elongated sothat the coupler may move rearwardly with respect to said column member,the forward friction elements acting on said draft lugs, and therearward friction elements acting on said backstop, and means underlyingthe intermediate portions of said lower arm and the rearmost end portionof said column for supporting the mechanism.

13. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, abackstop connecting said sills, a drawbar, a draft gear comprising ahousing, a rear follower for said gear, loosely disposed between thelatter and backstop, means connecting said drawbar and housing formoving the latter forward independently of said rear follower, and anintegral carrier underlying the rear end of said housing and saidfollower, said carrier having a portion offset to provide a shoulderimmediately forward of said rear follower for holding the same inengagement with said backstop.

14. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, abackstop connecting said sills, a coupler, a draft gear, a rear followerfor said gear, loosely disposed between the latter and backstop, meansconnecting said coupler and gear for moving the latter forwardindependently of said rear follower, and an integral carrier underlying,and provided with a shoulder disposed immediately forward of, saidfollower for holding it in engagement with said backstop.

15. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, abackstop connecting said sills, a coupler, a draft gear, a rear followerfor said gear, loosely disposed between the latter and backstop, meansconnecting said coupler and gear for moving the latter forwardindependently of said rear follower, an integral carrier underlying saidfollower and provided with a shoulder disposed immediately forward ofsaid follower, and stop means secured to said sills forwardly of theupper part of said follower, said stop means and shoulder serving tohold said follower in engagement with the backstop.

16. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, abackstop connecting said sills, and an integral draft gear carriersecured to said sills and disposed forwardly of, and below, saidbackstop and having a rear portion offset downwardly to provide ashoulder parallel to and forward of the front face of the backstop forholding an associated rear follower in position in front of saidbackstop.

BYERS W, KADEL,

